Eylem Sonbahar
Journalists Tunca Öğreten and Murat Baykara were acquitted in a case over their award-winning documentary Met Çıkmazı ("Meth Dead End"), after a court ruled that the legal elements of the alleged crime were not present.
The second hearing in the case took place at the 13th Bakırköy Criminal Court of First Instance in Istanbul. Öğreten and Baykara had faced charges of "failing to report a crime" and "encouraging the use of drugs or stimulants" over the documentary, which aired on the YouTube channel Voys.
The courtroom was attended by representatives from international press freedom organizations, including Erol Önderoğlu of Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and Özgür Öğret of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). The journalists were represented by attorney Tuba Torun Erdoğdu.
In his defense statement, Öğreten said, "The footage we captured and the content we published aimed to inform the public. I believe this was an act of journalism," and requested acquittal. Baykara also asked to be acquitted, stating, "Our work is journalism with the aim of informing the public and serving the public interest."
Attorney Erdoğdu emphasized that the documentary’s target audience was society at large, noting that it sought to raise awareness and alert authorities about the spread of methamphetamine use. "The filming of the documentary was, in itself, a form of reporting. There was no need to file a report beyond this. Punishing my clients for such a documentary would create a perception of impunity, encouraging others to act with less restraint. It would embolden offenders rather than support those working to prevent crime," she said.
The prosecutor also called for acquittal, stating that the defendants had acted with the intent of making a documentary and informing the public, and that the alleged crimes had not occurred in the specific circumstances of the case.
The court ultimately ruled that the legal elements of the accusations were not present, and acquitted both Öğreten and Baykara.
About the documentary
Met Çıkmazı was published on the YouTube channel Voys on Jan. 12, 2023, highlighting the rapid spread and increasing danger of methamphetamine use in Turkey. The video was shared with the following note: “The widespread use of the stimulant methamphetamine has become one of Turkey's biggest problems. In Voys’ Met Çıkmazı, you will witness the terrifying consequences of meth use, how easily and cheaply it can be accessed, and even how the substance is sold inside treatment centers.”
